Chapter one has arrived!
Chapter One:
The small ice-blue egg in the center of her vision shook, and broke open. A small blue dragon poked its head out, “Kilmara?” came her mother’s voice from the dragon, “Kilmara?” I woke up with a start, “How do you know my name!?” My mother was sitting in front of me, “Kilmara? Are you ok? Another nightmare?” Oh, her mother was actually there, not a weird blue baby dragon “I’m fine mom,” I said, hopping off my bed. “It’s the Choosing Ceremony today Kilmara, you can’t be late” “I know, I know” I hoped that the dragon didn’t have to do anything with her Shifting Animal. I got dressed, putting on the Gold Pearl dress my mom had bought for me. I glanced at my desk drawer, where the small, illegal, gold dragon statue was hiding. I hesitated looking at the door, “Come’on Kilmara, just get the lucky dragon,” I tried whispering to myself. “WHAT WAS THAT HONEY?,” “Oh, um, NOTHING!” I yelled back to my mom. I ran over to the desk, unlocked the drawer, and grabbed the statue and shoved it in my pocket, just as my dad came strolling in, “What are you doing?” “Oh uh, you know, just grabbing a pencil!” My dad’s eyes softened, “Yes, I forgot how much you liked to draw.” Well that was close.
I wish any image of dragons wasn’t illegal, because then it would be a lot easier to sneak my lucky statue through CC (Choosing Ceremony) Security.
Mom was waiting for me downstairs, she had her hair up in an elegant twist and wore a blue gown that brought out her eyes. Dad was in his formal military attire, looking stern, as usual. The tension in the room was thick as a dragon’s scales. The Choosing Ceremony was the most important day in any young shapeshifters’s life. It determined your shifting animal, your very soul.
As we stepped out into the cool morning air, the sun had barely crested the horizon. The streets of our city were already bustling with excitement. Families dressed in their finest, whispering about the upcoming event. I could smell the sweet scent of freshly baked bread wafting from the bakery and the faint scent of the sea from the distant coastline. The sound of children’s laughter filled the air, mixing with the clanking of blacksmiths at work.
We made our way to the grand amphitheater, a place where shapeshifters from all over the kingdom gathered to witness the Choosing Ceremony. It was an ancient tradition, a day where we'd find out what animal we'd become. My heart raced as we approached the towering stone archways leading into the amphitheater. Guards with stern faces checked our papers, ensuring we were who we said we were. They were thorough, but not as much as they would be if they knew about the contraband in my pocket.
Once inside, we took our seats in the VIP section, reserved for military families. The seats were cold and hard, a stark contrast to the warmth of the sun that had started to spread across the sky. The air buzzed with anticipation as young shapeshifters, dressed in their best, filed into the arena below. The stage was set with a grand podium, surrounded by various animal statues. The high priests and priestesses of the Shifting Order were already there, their faces hidden behind intricate golden masks.
Mom held my hand tightly as the ceremony began. A hush fell over the crowd as the High Priestess stepped forward, her voice echoing through the ancient structure. She spoke of our history, the beauty of our unique gift, and the responsibility that came with it. My stomach twisted into knots as she announced the first name. A young girl, no older than me, walked up to the podium, her eyes filled with hope and fear. With a wave of the priestess's hand, a beam of light shot from the podium and enveloped her. The girl's body began to convulse, her screams piercing the silence.
When the light faded, she was gone, replaced by a majestic hawk. The crowd erupted into applause, and the bird took off, soaring above us all. It was beautiful, but the fear remained. What if I didn't get a good animal? What if I was like Uncle Castor, who shifted into a sloth and was shunned by the community?
The names kept coming, each transformation more awe-inspiring than the last. A boy shifted into a sleek cheetah, a girl into a graceful swan. And then it was my turn. My parents looked at me, their eyes filled with hope and love. I took a deep breath and descended the cold stone steps into the arena. The crowd's whispers grew louder as I approached the podium.
The beam of light reached me and an intense pain filled my body, then I saw a great ice blue dragon emerge out of the pain and then it disapeared. When I opened my eyes, I felt weird growths on my back. "A dragon!" spmeone screamed in the crowd, at first I thought they saw the dragon totem, but then I realized those growths were dragon wings, "Holy Crap, this is bad"
The High Priestess's eyes went wide with shock. The whispers grew into shouts, and the amphitheater erupted into chaos. Guards rushed to the stage, weapons drawn. The priestess's golden mask fell to the ground, revealing a look of horror on her face. "No, no, no," she murmured. "This can't be."
Well? I had wings for something didn't I? I launched myself into the air with a roar that shook the very foundation of the amphitheater. The gold dragon statue was no longer a simple good luck charm in my pocket; it was a part of me, a part of my soul, a part of my new reality. The shock and horror on everyone’s faces were quickly replaced by fear as the crowd scattered, running out of the way of the extinct animal.
My parents were frozen in place, their expressions a mix of awe and terror. The priestess had fallen to her knees, her hand over her mouth, unable to speak. Dad reached for his sword, but Mom held him back. I could see the struggle in his eyes, torn between his duty to capture me and his love for his daughter. No dragons could live, they were a disgrace to the Shape shifting society. I looked at my family one last time and darted out of the stadium beating my newfound wings hard for the forest, I was a small-ish dragon so I could hide there.
The cool air rushed against my scales as I flew over the treetops, the wind carrying the screams of the crowd behind me. I felt a strange connection to the land below, as if the very earth was whispering to me. It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. I had to find somewhere to hide, to understand what had just happened.
The forest was dense and dark, but my dragon eyes could see through the shadows. I found a small cave, hidden by a waterfall, and landed with a thud that echoed through the cavern. My legs wobbled under the weight of my new body, but I managed to stumble inside. The damp earth smelled of moss and the faint scent of something metallic. I transformed back into my human form, the gold dragon statue still clutched in my hand. It was warm to the touch, almost pulsing with energy. I threw the statue, it ruined my life. It landed in the water, I tried shifting into the animal, my shift was still a dragon.
I felt so alone, so different. Tears streamed down my face, mixing with the cold water that dripped from the cave ceiling. The statue, my lucky charm, had betrayed me. But maybe, just maybe, it had also saved me. If I had shifted into something weak or common, I would have been taken away by the guards immediately.
But a dragon? The irony was not lost on me. The creature we'd been taught to fear and hate, the creature that had been wiped out by our ancestors, was now a part of me. I didn't know if I should be proud or terrified. The stories spoke of dragons as fierce protectors, wise beyond their years, and powerful beyond measure. But they were also the enemy, the very reason we lived in fear of the skies.
I sat in the darkness, the sound of my own breathing the only companion in the eerie silence. The cold, damp air wrapped around me like a wet blanket, sending shivers down my spine. I had to figure out what to do next. I couldn't go back to the city, not like this. They'd kill me or worse, use me as a weapon. I had to find others like me, if there were any left.
So I shifted into the cursed form and set off.
Chapter 2 on the way!-Kulon'falis